


The Anbresia Stone

by Delenn (goddessdel)



Category: Xena: Warrior Princess
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst, F/M, Mystery, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-24
Updated: 2013-02-23
Packaged: 2017-12-03 09:55:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 15,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/697013
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goddessdel/pseuds/Delenn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Xena loses a precious stone of hers, she enlists Hercules and Joxer’s help to find it. Written a while ago - I make no promises.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Promo

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LadyKate63](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyKate63/gifts).



> Disclaimer: I get no profit from this story. The characters you don't recognize from the series', the Anbreasia Stone, as well as the story idea belong to me. The characters: Xena, Hercules, Ares, Gabrielle, and Joxer do not belong to me - they belong to whoever owns X:WP and H:TLJ! And I am just borrowing them. No copyright infringement intended. Please don’t sue me!
> 
> A/N: So, was experimenting with a different writing style... including the promo. Thanks for the inspiration, Lady Kate! Completed at 39 pages, 15,511 words [July 27 2006].

Announcer: When Xena loses a strange stone she carries with her everywhere, she enlists Hercules and Joxer’s help.

Xena leaning against a tree, looking dejected, Hercules standing above her, ‘You don’t understand, I _have_ to find it!’

Announcer: During their search they discover that more than one god is after this stone, whose disappearance is shrouded in mystery.

Ares glaring at Hercules, ‘You will not get in my way, _little brother_. You can’t stop me from taking what’s mine!’

Announcer: When friends can’t be trusted… Who will Xena turn to for help?

Xena staring at Joxer, shocked, who is hiding something behind his back, Gabrielle is standing next to him and Hercules is sitting at a table in the background. ‘What is that?’

Announcer: On the first Xena movie, The Anbreasia Stone! Battle On XENA!


	2. Search For The Amethyst Stone

Gabrielle and Xena are catching breakfast in a lake they are camped by, though Gabrielle isn’t having much luck. Gabrielle laughs as one brushes by her leg, tickling her, but she still can’t catch it. Xena waits till the fish gets close to her and grabs it. Gabrielle sighs happily, "Finally! I was afraid I was gonna catch pneumonia before you caught a fish!"

Xena laughs, handing the fish to Gabrielle and climbing out of the lake and onto the shore. "So, it’s _my_ job to catch the fish now?"

Gabrielle laughs as well, setting the fish down and grabbing a towel when she reaches the shore, "Well…. yes. You catch it, I cook it!"

Xena rolls her eyes, drying off, "So why did you come with me?"

Gabrielle smiles, getting dressed as she talks, her stomach is rumbling. "That’s what best friends do, Xena!"

Xena just rolls her eyes again, suppresses a laugh, and starts getting dressed as well. She has just put on her shift, when she notices something of hers is missing. Trying to remain calm Xena asks, "Gabrielle, did you move my stuff or anything?"

Gabrielle looks up from lacing her boot, "What? No, Xena, why?"

Xena carefully shakes out her leathers, making sure it hasn’t fallen in with her armor and, finding that it hasn’t, starts to search the immediate ground to see if it has rolled. "DAMN it!"

Gabrielle finishes lacing up her boots and comes over to find out what her friend is searching for. Gabrielle is drying her hair with a towel, "What is it, Xena, can’t find a dagger?" Her attempt at a joke fails miserably.

Xena looks up just long enough to glare and state, "No." before continuing her search.

Gabrielle, seeing that Xena is almost… well… distressed, asks seriously. "What is it, Xena? What did you lose?"

Xena, after searching the whole bank area, sits on the ground dejectedly, she looks up at her friend. "It’s gone, Gabrielle!"

Gabrielle squats next to her friend, "What, what’s gone, Xena?"

Xena sighs, somewhat mad at herself, "My amethyst stone, I can’t believe I would lose it!"

Gabrielle offers, wondering what stone Xena is talking about. "Maybe you left it at the campsite?"

Xena shakes her head, still just sitting there, "No… I had it with me before we went fishing…"

Gabrielle questions, thinking all the possible places Xena could have a stone hidden. "Where do you keep it?"

Xena looks up, finally moving to finish getting dressed, "Somewhere that I'd know if it was gone."

Gabrielle questions, "Really? How come I’ve never seen this amethyst of yours?"

Xena sighs, now putting on her gauntlets, "I guess I never thought to show it to you… So you didn’t move my stuff?"

Gabrielle shakes her head, no, and then asks the next question on her list. "How long have you had this stone?"

Xena shrugs and starts back towards the camp, Gabrielle following her, "I forget exactly how long."

Gabrielle gives up, "Shouldn’t we get moving to that town… Pirayhe?"

Xena nods slowly, "I have to find it, you understand, Gabrielle?"

Gabrielle shakes her head in wonder, frying the fish, "Sure thing, Xena…"

~(*)~

Hercules sits in the corner of an inn, eating some soup and watching the door. Joxer is sitting next to him, patting the hero on the back and drinking ale. "It’sss alllrightt, Herculeees, I’m suuure it’s his timmme."

Hercules sniffles slightly, taking the drink away from Joxer, "Uncle Hades will be hearing from me! No more of this for you, Joxer, have some water."

Joxer looks after his lost glass of ale sadly; this demigod has a lot of sad stories to tell. A voice right next to them startles the men, "Hercules! Joxer! Oh it’s so great to see you guys!"

They look up to see that while they were dealing with the offending cup of ale Gabrielle has bolted through the crowd, with a somber looking Xena behind her. Hercules immediately jumps up, clasping hands with Xena and hugging Gabrielle. "Ladies! It’s great to see you two… Have you heard-"

Xena smoothly interrupts Hercules, sitting down, "Yes, Hercules, we heard. I’m so sorry for your loss, Iolaus was a good friend."

Hercules venomously states, "I’ll get him back! Uncle Hades won’t have a choice."

Gabrielle, a little uncomfortable, nods unsurely, "I’m sure you’re right, Hercules. Argh, Joxer!!"

Joxer had reached for his ale, in anticipation of yet another round of ‘poor Iolaus’ stories, and spilled it on Gabrielle. Jumping up, Joxer grabs a cloth and starts to wipe the offending liquid, Gabrielle snatches the cloth and pushes Joxer away from her, whacking him on the head as she does so. "I’ll get it. Gods, Joxer, we just got here and you’ve already stained my skirt!"

Joxer blushes, realizing that wiping ale off her _skirt_ wasn’t really smart, while rubbing his injured forehead with a hand. "Oww, gee Gabby I’m sorry!"

Gabrielle moans and smacks Joxer on the head with her staff, taking no notice that she could have actually hurt him, "Don’t CALL me that! Xena!"

Xena looks up from brooding in the corner, with a sad Hercules, "Yes, Gabrielle?"

Gabrielle starts to walk off angrily, "I’m going to get us rooms!"

Hercules nods to show he’s listening. Xena turns to Hercules and Joxer, who is moaning and rubbing his even more injured head, and, leaning across the table, says. "Boys I have an offer for you…."

Joxer, finding it hard to ignore Xena the way that she is leaning, asks, "Yessss, Xeeeennaaa?"

Xena smiles, noting that Joxer is very drunk and Hercules is very depressed. "I lost something of mine,"

Hercules looks up, thinking that Xena did seem a little unhappy when she walked in. "Sure, Xena, what did you loose?"

Xena smiles sweetly, sitting back down, "An amethyst dagger, it means a lot to me."

Joxer cocks his head, "An amethyyyyst dagggger?"

Xena nods, and Hercules asks, always practical when there is a mission. "How big is this?"

Xena sighs, leaning back in her chair, "About two inches long. I think someone took it."

Hercules looks unsure, "Good luck, I’d help but I have to get Iolaus back."

Joxer shrugs, "Whattt heeeeeee saiddd."

Xena gets up and jogs out, past a confused Gabrielle. Hercules gets up and goes after her. When he finally catches up to Xena she is sitting on the ground, leaning against a tree. Hercules stands above her and sighs, "Xena, I can’t help you…"

Xena looks up, dejected and angry, "You don’t understand I _have_ to find it!"

Hercules sighs, slowly considering his options, he reaches a hand down to pull Xena up. "All right. I’ll help, so will Joxer, but after we find this stone of yours I have to go for Iolaus, okay, Xena?"

Xena nods, hope in her eyes, she takes the offered hand and stands, "That’s right, we will find it! Thank you, Hercules."

They walk back to the inn together as Hercules wonders what it is about this stone that got Xena so upset.

~(*)~

A hooded figure watches this all with interest through some sort of pool. A hand snakes out of the cloak and wraps around a small amethyst dagger, "Guardians Aleathias come forth, bring these travelers here."

Fire breathing, flying snakes fifty feet long appear and float off through a solid rock wall in the cave. The cave is small and covered with shelves of potions and concoctions, with a fire burning in the corner, stalagmites hang from the ceiling and there are two passageways into the rock, between the shelves that line the walls.

The hooded figure swirls a finger in the pool, the image of the tavern wavers, then disappears and in its place a still life of Xena is visible. "Now, pretty, you will come after your precious stone. And when you do you will unlock it for me."

The figure cackles, the hacking sound vibrating through the cave, through the entire mountain.

~(*)~

Xena ran out of the inn at a speed faster then most mortals could go, leaving a sleepy Gabrielle grumbling about being woken. She looks up in the sky, searching for the creature she saw from her window, she spots the large snake type thing flying towards the east, barely visible and too far to be caught by the chakram. "Damn it!"

Xena stands there for about five minutes, putting on her armor that she carried out with her, before Gabrielle and Hercules join her. Gabrielle asks cautiously, "What is it, Xena?"

Xena looks up, obviously shaken, "A creature headed to the east, and that’s where we’re going. Start packing."

Hercules cautiously asks, "Why type of creature?"

But Xena is already walking through the town muttering, "I’m gonna need help with these!"

Gabrielle sighs and walks back into the inn, dragging Hercules with her. "Get Joxer up and pack your stuff, I’ll pack Xena’s and my things. You just watch, she’ll be waiting for us at the stables in about fifteen minutes I bet…"

Hercules shrugs and follows Gabrielle to the inn and up the stairs, until they reach their rooms, he then turns away and goes to wake up Joxer. Gabrielle walks in her room and starts packing her things, once that is done she then proceeds to pack Xena’s things… Briefly letting her mind wonder to what ELSE Xena has never showed her. "I shouldn’t look… I should think about the trip instead…"

Gabrielle continues packing in a sort of daze until her stomach growls and she is forced back to reality, "Damn it! Xena forgot about breakfast! Well… She’ll just have to wait a little until we get on the road."

Grabbing her dinar pouch Gabrielle heads down the stairs where she finds that Hercules and Joxer have already ordered food, four places are set. "Thanks guys I’m FAMISHED!"

Joxer moans and holds his head, taking another spoonful of soup. Gabrielle questions, "What’s wrong with him?"

Hercules laughs, gesturing Gabrielle to sit down with them. "The meal’s on me. Joxer has a bad headache this morning," He pauses not mentioning that most of it is probably from the staff blow to his friends head. "I’m sure one of your stories would cheer him up though!?"

The small group laughs and goes back to their meals. A while later a nervous and somewhat angry Xena walks in and demands, "What are you doing? I’ve been waiting for you."

Hercules laughs, "We were eating, Xena, come join us?"

Xena sighs and sits down, still visibly agitated, "Fine."

Joxer cautiously asks, speaking for the first time that morning, "You all right, Xena?"

Xena rolls her eyes, "Of course I am…. I just want to get a move on, it’s a two day walk at least."

The four quickly finish their meals and make a quick trip upstairs to grab their things.

~(*)~

Ares is pacing in his castle, running the situation over in his mind again and again. "Damn it! I can’t believe… DAMN IT!"

Discord appears in the corner of the room, watching Ares pace for a few moments before speaking. "Ares…?"

Before she has time to react, a bolt is hurtled her way followed by the roar of, "GO AWAY!"

Discord ducks just in time as the bolt puts a hole in the wall behind her. "Now come on… I just want to help you release some pent up energy."

She saunters up to Ares, who picks her up in one fluid movement and tosses her across the room. "What part of Greek don’t you understand?"

Discord sneers, getting up off the floor and dusting herself off. More than a little angry at being ignored. "What’s so important…" she pauses as realization sinks in, "It’s something to do with that little bitch isn’t it!"

Ares turns, a warning in his voice, "DISCORD!"

Discord sighs, her anger deflating, "Yeah, yeah, sorry!"

Ares continues to pace, not even noticing Discord. He mutters, lost in his thoughts, "I can’t believe it’s gone! She had it…"

Discord slyly questions, curious and plotting, "Had what?"

Ares sighs, "The stone…" He looks up and sees Discord still standing there, grinning, "Discord, I said to GO AWAY!"

Discord pouts, like a spoiled child and stomps her foot. "You’re no fun anymore!"

Ares glares, "Discord…"

Discord continues to pout, "Fine, I’m going to see someone else then!"

Ares waits until she is gone then goes back to his plans about where the stone could be.

~(*)~

Callisto opens her eyes, a feeling of life spreads over her entombed body. Slowly fingers regain feeling, then legs, as her brain struggles to comprehend the situation, she wonders what was missing… she finds she can move her body and does so, seeing a light above her. Callisto climbs through the lava and to the surface, where she takes a much-needed breath of fresh air, standing uncertainly on shaky legs. Discord smiles cattily. "Welcome to the living, Callisto."

Callisto cocks her head with distain; feeling steadier on her legs, out in the sunlight. "I was sleeping… Slut, what are you doing here?"

Discord sneers, "Have a little respect, Blondie. I just freed you from your tomb. So shut up and obey me!"

Callisto laughs, throwing her head back, "YOU freed ME? Please! You don’t have that power!"

Discord rolls her eyes, not ready to divulge that information, "Do you wanna know why… or I could just send you back?"

Callisto stretches, stifling a yawn. "I’m still here, aren’t I?"

Discord sighs, Callisto always was more trouble then she was worth, "Okay, so here’s the deal. There’s this stone thingy that everyone’s after."

Callisto smoothly interrupts, "Who’s everyone?"

Discord rolls her eyes again, "Don’t interrupt me Blondie!" she pauses and then utters one sentence sure to do wonders to her case. "Xena, and others that we can discuss later."

Callisto glances up with a look of interest and disgust on her face, "Xena?" she spits out the name.

Discord nods, "Yeah, yeah. Anyway, I hear this stone thingy is really powerful. It’s called the Ambro-Amre-Ambra…Oh screw it! The something-sia stone--"

Callisto interrupts again, "The Anbreasia Stone? The one missing from you gods’ palace?"

Discord wrinkles her forehead, "I’M TELLING THIS!"

Callisto shrugs, casually chewing on a nail, "Fine, go ahead, slut."

Discord screams and throws a bolt that Callisto easily dodges. "Don’t CALL me that! Anyway I freed you 'cause I need someone to serve me, someone to help me get the stone from whoever took it!"

Callisto throws her head back and laughs. "I’ll never help YOU."

Discord is so angry she is trembling, "BITCH! I saved you, I OWN you!"

Callisto laughs and sends a bolt Discord’s way, knocking her out cold, "Yeah, right!"

Stepping around Discord, Callisto looks at her surroundings, thinking aloud. "So Xena’s after this… Hmm… I’ve been asleep much too long…"

Callisto stretches again, before disappearing in shards of light.

~(*)~

Gabrielle sits next to Xena, both watching a waterfall, she questions. "C’mon Xena, where did you get this stone?"

Xena exhales loudly, "We’ve had this conversation already, I’m not comfortable discussing it."

Gabrielle sets her face angrily, "You won’t even tell me? Some best friend you are Xena!"

Xena looks over to Gabrielle, silently pleading for her to drop the subject. "It’s just not something I feel like getting into now."

Gabrielle refuses to let it go, "That’s right, keep your secrets until I absolutely HAVE to know! Or until it slips out, isn’t that your theory, Xena? Well you know what? I ABSOLUTELY HAVE to know!!"

Xena shakes her head, "You don’t need to know where I got it to help me find this stone. If we’re such good friends, why can’t you trust me on this?"

Gabrielle gets up abruptly and storms off into the trees. Xena sighs and stares woefully into the waterfall, watching the water in its steady current, trying not to think about how she could have lost this. She’s so absorbed in her thoughts that Xena doesn’t even notice the other presence, until he speaks. "Somehow I don’t think sitting here depressed is going to help your cause, sweet. What happened to that fire?"

Xena states, her face deadpan as Ares sits down next to her, "I’m really not in the mood for your games, Ares."

Ares gives a mock look of hurt; "I would think you’d know me better then that, my dear. I am just as worried about this as you."

Xena sighs, turning away from Ares to watch the waterfall again, "Sure, and I’m a hydra’s aunt."

Ares shrugs, also looking at the waterfall, "Your family, not mine."

Xena suppresses a laugh and rolls her eyes, "Seriously, Ares."

Ares gently turns Xena to face him, "Princess, this is as much on my head as yours…"

Xena nods, still cautious, "I know… Don’t call me that!"

Ares half jokes, "It’s true though… So you believe me this time?"

Xena, in a rare moment of weakness lays her head on Ares’ chest, letting him hold her. "I can’t believe I lost the Anbreasia Stone!"

Ares offers, stroking his princess’s hair, "I’ll help you find it."

Xena nods, accepting his help. Unbeknownst to the warriors, a pair of green eyes has been watching the whole thing.


	3. Confusion Among Friends & Enemies

Gabrielle dashed back to camp and quickly looks around for Hercules, spotting him by the fire she sits down next to him and blurts out, "Do you know what the ‘Anbreasia’ Stone is?"

Hercules looks up, surprised to see Gabrielle back so soon. "The Anbreasia Stone? Why?"

Gabrielle rolls her eyes, and repeats herself. "Do you know what the Anbreasia Stone is, Hercules?"

Hercules thinks for a moment, "I once heard of the mythical Anbreasia Stone… I never saw anything to prove it though."

Gabrielle pulls out a scroll and begins to write, "What was the myth?"

Hercules sighs and launches into the tale. "I heard that the Anbreasia Stone is a powerful amethyst, one of the most powerful stones on Olympus."

Gabrielle quickly interrupts, "What’s it do?"

Hercules shrugs, "I don’t know, neither did the bard who told the story… Anyway apparently the reason no one’s heard of it was that years ago the stone disappeared from Olympus and the gods have been searching for it ever since."

Gabrielle laughs, trying to hide all the questions she has. "Hercules, don’t ever become a bard!"

Hercules laughs as well, his own question having not been answered. "Gabrielle, why are you so interested in a bard’s tale?"

Gabrielle leans close to Hercules and says, "What if it wasn’t a myth?"

Hercules looks puzzled, "What do you mean, Gabrielle?"

Gabrielle bites her lip for a second, "You know that stone that Xena lost?"

"Yeah?"

Gabrielle explains, "Xena and I had a fight and I was coming back here when I heard voices, that stone Xena lost? It’s the Anbreasia Stone! And Ares is involved in it somehow."

Hercules says nothing for a moment, digesting this news, before he exhales and says, "How do we trust Xena now that we know this?"

Gabrielle looks to the ground, setting her writing aside unhappily. "We don’t."

Joxer walks out from the forest, trying not to show how hurt he is by what he heard. "Hey guys, I got the firewood like you asked."

Gabrielle nods, barely sparing Joxer a glance, "Good, set it down and I’ll get ready to start dinner."

Hercules stands up and starts to walk out of the campsite. "Since Xena’s probably still swimming, I’ll go hunting tonight."

Joxer sets down the firewood and walks to the side of the campsite miserably thinking, ‘They don’t trust me with anything!’

Gabrielle gets up and starts the fire, ignoring Joxer because she’s so lost in her thoughts.

~(*)~

Athena appears in a flash of gold, and takes her seat as one of the twelve Olympians, she was followed by Aphrodite, who appears in a flash of pink, Ares, who appears in a flash of blue, and Artemis, who appears in a flash of green. Zeus stands up, "You’re late, all four of you!"

Artemis speaks, glaring at her siblings, "We were discussing a war of Ares and Athena’s that had spilled into Amazon lands."

Aphrodite adds, as Zeus sits in boredom, "They were so TOTALLY headed for one of my temples!"

Only slightly concerned with the problems of his siblings, Ares shrugs, "I fixed it Arte, Dite!"

Knowing from the look their father wears that he has long since stopped paying attention, Athena prissily notes, "The problem has been resolved, but is the reason for us being late."

Zeus stands again, "Very well, on to the meeting."

Sharp eyes noting the looks passed between the four younger gods, Hera looks at the four gods squarely and mutters, "They covered well."

Having overheard the Queen of the Gods, but not enough so as to understand her meaning, Hermes asks, "What was that?"

Hera waves her hand, noticing that the gods in question are all glaring angrily at her, it is, after all the only time they all get along, when planning a dual cover story. "It was nothing, proceed."

Knowing better than to get involved in minor family squabbles, Zeus sighs at the interruptions, "As most of you know, I’ve called this meeting about the Anbreasia Stone."

There is a mumbled, "Yes," from all the gods present.

Zeus chooses to ignore the lack of enthusiasm from his family and continues. "What most of you DON’T know is that it has been lost, again. It appears that the last mortal who had it, obviously not the culprit, has misplaced the Anbreasia Stone."

Apollo asks, some annoyance clear in his voice, "Why does this concern us?"

This time it’s Hera who continues, "Because now is the perfect time to find the stone and restore it to Olympus!"

Hades, who has showed up as he rarely does, mutters. "Like… has… inter… stone… Olympus!"

Ever bored of these political and power-conscious matters, Poseidon asks, "What was that, brother?"

Hades repeats, louder this time. "I said: like she has any interest in restoring the stone to Mt. Olympus!"

Unable to resist adding to the squabble between his own siblings, Poseidon retorts, "I could say the same of you."

Zeus roars, getting everyone’s attention, "ENOUGH!" lowering his voice he continues, "You wouldn’t know where it is, would you, Ares? It was such a tragedy that we never could PROVE who took it."

A smirk contorting her otherwise pleasant features, Athena nods her approval, "Father’s right, where is it Ares?"

To Zeus, Ares cockily points out, ignoring Athena, "Yeah, well, you couldn’t father. Now, why would I know where it is?"

Hera breaks up this argument, completely ignoring her stepdaughter in favor of yelling at her husband. "Your father wasn’t accusing you, son. We just were wondering if you had any leads. Isn’t that right, Zeus?"

Curtailed from his favorite pastime, Zeus grumbles something. "Ysmamwifeomyn!" which roughly translates to, ‘yes, damn, wife of mine!’

The children now conveniently forgotten, Hera casually asks, her eyes cold and accusing, "What was that dear, I don’t think the others heard you."

Well aware that he will pay for any indiscretions later, Zeus forces a smile and says, "Yes, that’s right Hera, dear."

Not to be ignored in matters of love, or lack thereof, Aphrodite giggles, "Didn’t sound the same the first time!"

Through his immaculate golden features, Apollo sneers, "And what would YOU know, Ditzy."

Instantly aware of all insults to her person, Aphrodite complains in a tried-and-true method, "Hey! Daddy, he called me ditzy!"

Flipping a golden curl out of his face, Apollo shrugs, not even bothering to look apologetic, "Check your hearing, sis, I said ‘Dity’ you know like ‘Aphrodite’ without the ‘Aphro.’"

One step away from a foot stomping, world-shaking temper tantrum, Aphrodite whines, "DADDY!!"

Artemis laughs cruelly, siding with her twin as always, "Please, Aphrodite, keep your ditzy blonde head out of conversations that are above you."

Zeus sighs, sitting down wearily and sensing a headache forming as always when his children are forced to be in the same room. "That’s enough, meeting adjourned. Go, all of you."

The assembled gods quickly get up and leave back to their own affairs, not waiting to be asked a second time.

~(*)~

Xena swung onto Argo’s back gracefully and looked down at her sleepy companions. "C’mon, let’s go." Noticing how reluctant her friends seem Xena adds, playing to Gabrielle’s weakness for food. "Look, if we hurry we can make it there in time for lunch."

Gabrielle sighs but agrees anyway, "Okay, Xena, lead on… Hercules and I will follow you."

Joxer comes running from the woods, his hair still dripping wet and his armor on even more haphazardly then usual. "Hey! What about me?"

Xena has already started off riding Argo, and Gabrielle is quick to follow with only a small shrug in Joxer’s direction. Hercules, ready to take off, but feeling slightly guilty for forgetting the only person who will put up with his stories about Iolaus, says. "Uh, we thought you had left already…"

Joxer rolls his eyes and shoves Hercules along ahead of him so as not to let his buddy see how angry he is. "I TOLD you guys I was going for a bath!"

Hercules shrugs, running to catch up with Gabrielle, "Oh, must not have heard you!"

During the trip, Xena steadfastly rides ahead, thinking over all her options and hardly noticing her friends at all.

Hercules and Gabrielle stay a safe distance behind Xena so as to discuss any suspicious behavior she might be exhibiting.

Joxer dawdles behind Gabrielle and Hercules, not because he wants to, but more because he believes that their whispering is about him.

The three traveling companions are, needless to say, very happy when Xena announces, "The town should be just over this hill." She sees a small spiral of smoke coming from that direction and says, "I’ll ride ahead and check it out. Yah!"

It takes a good five minutes before Hercules and Gabrielle notice the smoke. Hercules exclaims, pointing to the skyline, "Look at the smoke!"

Gabrielle rolls her eyes, hoping the smoke had been there before Xena left and not after, "Damn it, Xena can never stay out of trouble!"

They both take off at a run and are over the hill and out of sight before Joxer can call their attention to him. Realizing that _innocent_ people are probably being hurt Joxer puffs himself up, adjusts his armor, and runs after his friends calling out, "Joxer THE MIGHTY will save the day!"

While coming down the hill, his helmet blows down into his face due to the wind, covering his eyes, and he runs smack into Gabrielle while fixing it back on top of his head. Wondering why the bard is just standing there Joxer looks up and sees three flying snake-like creatures destroying the small village. There are another two creatures lying on the ground with, what one would assume to be their heads, severed.

The three would-be warriors’ attention is diverted when Xena lets out her piercing war cry and throws her chakram, bringing down another creature without its head. "That’s right, come an’ get it!"

Finally seeming to realize that there is a battle going on, Hercules whispers something to Gabrielle and rushes into the fray, grabbing one of the creatures by its tail and swinging it around and around before tossing it a long way away with a hearty, "Mph!"

Gabrielle says, "Joxer, stay here." And joins the battle, whacking the last creature over the head with her staff, bringing it to the ground, she continues to whack it repeatedly until she is assured that it is dead.

Xena hooks her chakram and turns to her friends, "Took ya long enough."

The frightened villagers realize that the strange beasts are dead and run to the hero’s to congratulate them. One villager, Anetta, announces. "Ya’ll shall have free room and meals for as long as ya intend to stay here, as my thank ya for destroying those wicked monsters and saving our town!"

Hercules starts to object, knowing that Xena will be anxious to press on, "That’s very kind, thank you, but my friends and I--"

Gabrielle exclaiming, "Would be delighted to stay in your wonderful town." cuts him off effectively.

Xena turns angrily to her friend and whispers in the bards ear, so the villager's can’t hear, "I think we were led here by those- those THINGS!"

Gabrielle smiles and whispers back, "Too bad, your quest can wait a day… Besides, you promised me lunch."

Gabrielle puts one arm around Hercules, and one around Xena and drags them through the throngs of the village crowd. As an afterthought Xena adds, still angry with Gabrielle for diminishing her cause, "C’mon Joxer, we might as well settle in for the night."

Joxer follows drearily lamenting ‘Xena can’t be trusted with this quest that has something to do with the God of War, and Gabrielle and Hercules, who can be trusted, don’t even notice me half the time!’ however he only says, "Yes, Xena," and hurries to catch up with his so-called friends.

~(*)~

Joxer unpacks his things quickly, because he doesn’t really own many things, and sighs, believing that the others are probably discussing everything right now and not including him. "Again, they never include me!"

Joxer wanders around the room, brooding, "Why did they have to keep me out of things?"

Callisto appears in a flash of fire with screams echoing in the background, she is smiling. She pitches her voice to a sympathetic tone, cocking her head in an, ‘I’m thinking’ posture. "But it’s so simple, Joxer. They kept you out of the fight, because you’re not ‘hero material’ and I’m inclined to agree with their decision."

Joxer frowns, trying to figure it out. "What do you mean by that...."

He looks up, not until just now fully realizing that this is the goddess Callisto here, "Callisto? What do you want?" He is instantly nervous and wary of her.

Callisto smiles and circles Joxer in a predatory manner, while trying to be sweet. "You promised me allegiance, Joxer, or have you forgotten?" She states, as if it is that simple. "I am here to command a follower."

Joxer gulps and looks nervously around the room, trying not to think about the lithe blonde brushing against him as she circles ever closer, "What do you want, goddess Callisto?"

Callisto pulls out a dagger, stops pacing so she is face to face with Joxer, puts the dagger to his throat and says, still smiling. "What I want? Why I would think it’s obvious, Joxer," She pauses for effect. "I want YOU."

Joxer gulps again, backing away a little so the blade isn’t quite so close to his throat. He manages to squeak, his voice just not cooperating, "Me?"

Callisto sighs and twirls the dagger absently. A disgusted look crosses her almost innocent looking face. "Yes, Joxer ‘the Mighty,’ you. I’m going to make a warrior out of you, make people **fear** your name."

Joxer manages to get his voice back to normal, by some miracle, looking at Callisto, innocent and confused. "Why? For what price?"

Callisto smiles, an insane glint in her eyes, "Well now that you mention it...."

Joxer feels the sweat dripping off his forehead and runs a hand over his head and through his hair to shake the sweat from there. "Well?"

Callisto simply giggles, ignoring his question she instead extends her hand, seeing his reluctance she says, "C'mon, it's not like anybody else cares about you."

Realizing how true that statement is, Joxer smiles weakly and takes the unstable blonde’s outstretched hand, accepting whatever fate she has planned for him. Immediately both people are engulfed in fire, disappearing in seconds.

~(*)~

Xena paces her room like a caged animal; she has been unable to get her stone out of her mind since they have stopped. "Damn it, why did Gabrielle have to make us stop!?"

Of course, she has been thinking of her stone before, except now she is worried about those strange monsters they killed. Knowing the only person who might know she will not call, Xena settles back into her pacing route, hoping that Gabrielle will be ready to leave the next morning.

A voice says, even before the god himself has appeared fully. "Hello, my dear."

Xena glares at the God of War, "What do YOU want?"

Ares grins, mischief in his eyes, "Do I have to ‘want’ something?"

Almost bitterly, Xena sighs, "You always want something..."

Ares’ grin falters for a moment, and then it is back as usual. He moves closer to the warrior, "You know me too well..."

Taking the chance offered to her, Xena rolls her eyes, deadpanning, "Not really. You’re just so predictable."

As she expects, Ares stops moving towards her, "Really? What do I want then?"

Xena taps her foot impatiently, "How am I supposed to know?!"

Xena turns around and waits for him to leave. A voice right next to her ear says, "If you’re nice I’ll tell you..."

Xena spins around and finds herself face to face with the God of War. In one fluid movement she steps away and slaps him, hard but not hard enough to make him move. "Talk..."

Ares chuckles, rubbing his jaw, "Now, Xena, that’s not **nice**."

Xena smiles, "How about this? Talk or leave before I cram my boot half way up your--"

Ares steps closer to her again, not deterred in the least, "Always so HOSTILE, my dear."

They stand a hair’s breath away from each other; Ares raises his hand to Xena’s face. Xena is about to say something, when Gabrielle barges in, "Xena! Joxer’s-- XENA!?!"

Xena steps away from Ares abruptly before she faces toward Gabrielle, Xena’s eyes clearly display an ‘oops’ look. She then turns to her blonde friend, walking away from Ares, "As I was saying... Get out before I--"

With a flash of blue light the God of War disappears, shaking his head almost sadly and not letting her finish her sentence. Gabrielle asks, staring at her friend suspiciously, "What was that, Xena? What was HE doing here?"

Xena rolls her eyes, supposedly at the God of War who left. "He didn’t tell me, probably just bored and harassing me, like usual."

At Gabrielle’s skeptical look, the warrior hastily changes the subject, "You mentioned Joxer?"

Gabrielle’s eyes have a panicked look in them as she practically pulls her friend out of the room, "He’s gone! I don’t know what we’re going to do! He’s not in his room, you know how Hercules was depending on him with Iolaus... you know... gone..."

Xena focuses on the situation at hand, all other thoughts forgotten, "I know Gabrielle, it must have-- We’ll get to the bottom of this."

Her eyes take on a feral gleam as she feels strongly that his disappearance is linked to her missing stone. "I promise, I won’t let _anything_ happen to Joxer."

~(*)~

Callisto absently leaned against a wall, watching Joxer eating some grapes from a bowl as he sits on her throne. Callisto casually strolls over to Joxer and places her hand on his, stopping him from picking up more grapes. "Stop that, Joxer!"

Joxer gulps and slowly removes his hand from under the goddesses, avoiding looking up. "I-I I’m sorry, g-goddess Cal-Callisto."

Callisto suddenly giggles and takes a grape from the bunch and eats it. "Call me Calli, Joxer. And stop looking like a whipped dog, I’m not mad."

Joxer finally looks up and sees Callisto smiling and dangling a grape from her long, petite hands right above Joxer’s now open mouth. With a giggle, Callisto reaches down and places the grape on his tongue. Joxer nearly chokes with the unexpectedness of it. "Cal-Calli?"

Callisto smiles, picking up another grape and eating it, "Yes, Joxer?"

Joxer frowns slightly, trying to figure out exactly how to broach the subject without becoming barbequed. "W-what exactly do you want from me?"

Callisto giggles innocently, taking Joxer’s hand and pulling him to a standing position. "Want? I don’t want anything, Joxer."

She leans closer to the slightly trembling warrior, "You **are** mine; body," she runs her hand along his chest over the fabric of the purple shirt he is wearing, "soul, mind," Callisto runs her other hand through Joxer’s hair, "and, of course, even in death…"

Callisto moves her hand that was on his chest back and a dagger appears. Joxer doesn’t even notice that his shirt has disappeared until Callisto trails the cold steel of the dagger along his chest, causing the warrior wanna-be to shiver. "C-C-Calli,"

Callisto steps back for a moment, to admire her new acquisition. "Not bad, not bad at all…" resuming the dagger’s previous trail Callisto comments, "Who would have guessed that behind the silly armor and bright shirt there are actually muscles…"

Joxer shakily tries to pull away from the psycho blonde, but finds that she has a vice grip on his hair. Willing his voice not to shake Joxer says, "I’m not sure about this…"

Callisto giggles again, a disturbing pitch to her cheerful voice, "Of course you are." Her voice turns deadly serious, "Besides, you took my hand, you’re here, the deal has been made."

Joxer looks down and whispers, "Are you sure you want me?"

Callisto stares into Joxer’s eyes intently before speaking. "Oh, yeah, I’m sure…"

~(*)~

Gabrielle waited a good five seconds for Hercules, before letting out a very annoyed scream, "HERC!!"

Within seconds, the demigod comes skidding through the door, a worried expression on his face. "What is it, Gabrielle?"

Gabrielle instantly turns into the sorrowful maiden, acting out all those stories is good for _some_ things. "Oh, Hercules, it’s just dreadful! Joxer has disappeared!! I went to find him and he was **gone**!!"

Hercules looks equally distressed, ‘Oh no,’ he thinks, ‘now who’ll listen to stories about my poor Iolaus??’ Trying to compose himself, Hercules suggests. "I should probably go find him, Joxer could be in trouble! Don’t worry, Gabrielle, I’m sure he’s fine."

Xena rolls her eyes, ‘Always the hero first.’ Gabrielle nods happily, ‘Now I can find out what in Tartarus Ares was doing here.’ She waits until she hears Hercules leave, before pulling Xena back into the room. " **What** was Ares doing here?"

Xena frowns, having expected no less from her blonde companion. "I already told you that I don’t know, Gabrielle."

Gabrielle accuses sternly, ignoring the clear ‘conversation over’ warning in Xena’s voice. "I don’t believe you!"

Xena shrugs, annoyed, "Look, Gabrielle, we don’t have time for this. We have to find Joxer and get back my stone."

Gabrielle irritably says, "Who cares about your stone or stupid Joxer?! I want answers, Xena!"

"Well, get them from someone else!" Xena mutters crossly and stalks off.

Gabrielle sighs, wanting desperately to punch a wall or something, but instead she simply goes down to the main room of the inn to await Xena’s return.

Joxer bursts confidently through the door and strolls up to where Gabrielle is sitting. He keeps his one hand behind his back and his voice holds no trace of the usual foolishness. "Hello, Gabrielle."

Gabrielle shrugs and pats the seat next to her, "Sit down, Joxer. You _wouldn’t believe_ how Xena is acting!"

"Oh really?" Joxer says, seeming more interested.

Gabrielle doesn’t even notice that Joxer is carrying something, "You just can’t trust Xena anymore…" Just then, she sees Hercules and waves, eyes glistening joyfully, "Ooh, Herc, over here!"

Hercules smiles, walks over, and sits down next to Gabrielle and Joxer. "Hey… well, I see you found Joxer, Gab!" Turning to Joxer he adds, "Where were ya, bud?"

Joxer pretty much ignores Hercules’ question, in favor of asking more about Xena’s strange behavior. "What’s wrong with Xena, do ya think, Gabrielle?"

Gabrielle sighs, her earlier merriment gone. "Well Herc, Joxer, it seems that Ares is influencing her _again_. He was in her room when I went to tell her I couldn’t find you, Joxer, and she wouldn’t tell me why!"

Hercules frowns deeply when his half-brother and greatest enemy is mentioned, "Are you sure she didn’t know?"

Joxer quickly interrupts, scooting closer to Gabrielle. "I think Gabrielle’s right, Xena always knows what’s going on…"

Xena walks in the door and looks for the petite bard, she sees her along with Hercules and Joxer. Xena is about to head to her room, still angry, when she sees something glinting behind Joxer’s back. Xena quickly realizes that he’s carrying a dagger and is about to stab Gabrielle, she yells, concern echoing in her voice, "What is THAT!"

Joxer, Hercules and Gabrielle turn to face the Warrior Princess, distress clearly etched on her stunning face. Joxer looks Xena square in the eye, and she can’t help but wonder at his expression, "Who, me?"

Xena takes a few slow steps towards the group, careful not to loose them in the impending crowd. "What’s behind your back, Joxer?"

Joxer turns slightly, obscuring Xena’s view of the dagger, before pulling his hand out. Xena draws her sword, but all that’s in Joxer’s hand is an ugly flower. Xena exclaims, "What the-"

Joxer smiles, goofiness back in his boyish features, "Here, Gabby, I thought you’d like it!"

Gabrielle smacks Joxer in the arm and whines, "Don’t call me that!" before glaring at Xena.

Xena puts her sword back in its scabbard and rubs her eyes wearily, sure that she’s just hallucinated. She starts to her room, groggily muttering, "I think I need some rest…"


	4. World Turned Upside-Down

"This looks like a nice place. Maybe we should stop here?" Joxer’s words are hopeful but strong, proving that something is still off seeming about him recently.

Not even sparing him a glance, still nervous about what she may or may have not hallucinated; Xena speaks up, "No." She obviously sees no room for debate and doesn’t bother to elaborate on her reasons.

Hercules and Gabrielle spare sidelong glances, which don’t go unnoticed by Joxer, as they try to figure out what is wrong with Xena. They have both seen the Warrior Princess determined before, but neither has seen her so blindly absorbed in a single goal. Through all these suspicious glances, it is Gabrielle who speaks up first, her voice falsely tired and happy at the same time. "We’ve been traveling all day, Xena, and it’s getting close to nightfall. Who knows how far it is to the next town. We should stop here."

At this, Xena takes a long time to reply. She has already made her feelings clear and still doesn’t see a need to elaborate. After enough deliberation, however, she notes that at least some amount of explanation is warranted. "Every town we stop in slows us down," there, she is proud of herself for her restraint and calm tones.

Last but far from least, Hercules speaks up. He is not sure what value his opinion will be assigned to, but the last time he checked him and Xena were on decent terms. Besides, they are unlikely to figure out what is wrong with Xena while traveling, as she is known for her stoic silences while atop Argo. "We’ll have to stop soon enough anyway, and if we leave at dawn, we won’t lose any time. Let’s stop."

Opening her mouth to protest, Xena seems to think better of it. True, she doesn’t want to be in a confined area with such a strange-acting Joxer, and she could do without Gabrielle’s questions and accusations, but her friends are tired and so is Xena. Besides, she still mostly trusts Hercules and knows that he wouldn’t be suggesting this for selfish reasons. A weary sigh, "Fine."

Having watched all this interaction closely, Joxer finally deigns to speak up again. "If you want, I could take the money and go bargain us some rooms while you all check out the town." He suggests it innocently enough, sounding more and more like the same old Joxer he’s always been.

Yet, his friendly suggestion is met by three disbelieving and skeptical stares. It is Hercules who finally withdraws his own money pouch and starts to break away from the group, sparing a friendly pat to Joxer’s back. "Not to worry, Joxer, I’ll handle the accommodations. You stay here with the girls."

Gabrielle nods vigorously and Hercules starts to walk towards the nearest inn. It is decided and there is no more room for discussion. A pained look crosses Joxer’s face for a moment which neither Gabrielle or Xena catch, before his goofy mask is back on. Xena, however, can’t help but feel both burning stares at her back, and wonders if maybe she should have sent Joxer or Gabrielle off instead of Hercules.

However, Hercules is already well on his way towards the inn, and disappears through the door and out of the other three’s sight. Immediately, he sets his eyes towards the main counter, hoping that the innkeeper is there and has some rooms available. Instead of finding a stuffy older man there is a young brunette woman standing behind the counter. She spots Hercules and turns, her smile large and beautiful, "Hey there, big fella, what can I get you?"

All calculations about how many rooms he should get are immediately decided for the demigod, who always has been a sucker for big doe eyes and pouty lips. "I was hoping to rent some rooms for my friends and myself. Four actually, since there’s four of us," no expense to be spared, and he hopes this is going to leave him some money left over.

The young woman smiles widely again, turning to retrieve four heavy keys before turning back to Hercules. "You’re in luck that it’s me here and not my father. I can give you a bit of a discount on all that. Forty dinars sound about right? You and your friends got names, handsome, so I can mark down your rooms?"

It is a steal because she is flirting with him, most likely because she recognizes him from something. Hercules understands this. It doesn’t mean he isn’t going to take the offered rooms, or if possible, her offered company. There have to be some perks to traveling so much, or he wouldn’t go for it. "I’m Hercules, and my friends are: Xena, Gabrielle and Joxer."

As soon as Hercules has fished out the money and placed it on the counter, the woman scoops it up, tucks it away, hands him his keys, and pushes out from behind the counter to come stand next to him. "Some company we’re having then! Tell you what, I’m Deanna, and if you want any help finding anything around town, you just come and let me know."

A quick flash of suspicion mixed in with large amounts of amusement at this forward and beautiful girl. Hercules teasingly asks, "What will I owe you for this help?"

Deanna purses her lips in pretend thought, before her large eyes focus solely on Hercules and she states her terms. "Maybe some stories of a hero, I’m sure you have lots to tell me."

At this Hercules hedges slightly, first off because he doesn’t like telling of his own grand adventures, and second because he is far from a grand bard, and he knows it well enough. Still, it isn’t all that bad of terms. "I’m not really a bard…"

"No," Deanna counters, "you’re the hero. That’s why I want to hear the stories from you."

Hercules casts a quick glance at all the doors leading off to rooms, looks down for a second, then looks back at Deanna and gives her a slight grin. "Well, you could help me find my room…"

~(*)~

When Hercules awakes the next morning, it is to the feel of a woman’s warm and bare body pressed up against his own naked skin, brunette hair splayed out over his chest. With pleasant memories still filling his head of the previous night with Deanna, Hercules has no trouble imagining why it is so hard to be awake this morning.

He shifts slightly so as to stretch, and Deanna’s eyelids flutter open. Hercules smiles down at her, stifling a giant yawn, "Hey there…"

Rolling her body against his in a cattish stretch, Deanna grins back up at the large demigod, lifting her head off of his chest and shaking her long hair behind her shoulders. She looks tousled but happy. "Hey yourself," she pauses and makes a big show of looking around before snuggling back down into his arms, "it morning already?"

But, never one to shirk his responsibilities, Hercules has already remembered his friends and how irritated Xena will be if he doesn't hurry. "Sadly," he frowns, gently shifting Deanna off of his arm. "I have to go."

And, this is always the hardest part for Hercules - the never-ending goodbyes. But a hero's job is never done, and he has long since become used to the feeling of loss upon leaving such a wonderful young woman behind. However, Deanna is looking up at him curiously, "Your friends are waiting? Still chasing down that stone you told me about?"

Hercules is not sure how much he told Deanna about the Anbreasia Stone, or how strangely it has been making his friends act. No matter, "Yeah. If I don't hurry, Xena'll have my head." It's only half a joke at this point - Xena's reactions are up in the air anymore.

But wide brown eyes are staring at him excitedly, "Bring me along."

Startled, Hercules is already starting to decline. Having had more than enough female admirers wanting to follow him on some supposedly grand adventure. And getting killed, or injured, in the process. "I don't think so. It's not safe, Deanna, and you have your father's inn to worry about."

But the look he receives is determined, one finger poking him sharply in the side. "With you, Xena and Gabrielle around, how could I not be safe? My dad can deal with his own inn for a while anyway." She sees him wavering and goes in for the kill, "Besides, it's not like you're off hunting monsters. Just one little old stone. And from how worked up your friends sound, you could use a distraction."

She's already up, gathering her own clothing and muttering about what to bring with her. Hercules is dumbfounded, but he cannot think of a kind way to let the girl down. Besides, he would enjoy her extended company. "I better tell Xena that we're almost ready."

Large shoulders shrugging, Hercules finishes dressing and exits the room, already unsure if this is a good idea. Iolaus would have known how to handle the girl, but Iolaus is dead and Hercules is tired of being the bad guy. He just hopes it will work out as easily as Deanna makes it sound.

~(*)~

"Still stuck in this dingy little inn, I see." Ares appears with a bored expression on his face and a distasteful glance around the room. "Well, at least you escaped the blonde again."

Sitting on her bed, packed and ready to go, Xena glares but otherwise ignores the god in front of her. "We were supposed to leave at dawn."

It is past dawn, and obviously her friends are not planning on arriving any time soon. Ares shrugs, "You could always leave without them."

But Xena shakes her head firmly. Her friends may be slowing her down at the moment, but she'd rather have more people looking for her stone than less. More efficient in the long run.

When no reply is forthcoming, the God of War crosses the room, sitting on the bed next to Xena, "Or maybe you need a distraction."

"What did you have in mind?" Xena glances toward Ares, her look softening slightly. She's going crazy thinking about her stone, about it not being with her right now, and she's more than anxious for a distraction.

Still, the kiss that captures her lips is quite surprising. She gives in too easily, kissing him back with a ferocity that lingers from her warlord days. It is Ares who pulls back first, looking at her intently.

Startled that Ares would be the one to break a kiss, Xena questions, "What?"

"I think I was expecting to be slapped," Ares shrugs, unsure what to do with this version of Xena, who seems more familiar to his older memories than his new ones.

Trying to calm herself, realizing already that doing anything with Ares beyond trading insults could come back to haunt her, Xena turns away, "Well, you weren't."

And, if Xena wants to be distracted, Ares will do his best. Reaching towards her to pull her into his arms, Ares brushes his lips against her ear, "Not here…"

It is a low, husky whisper. When Xena turns her head to his, she accepts his kiss with only slight guilt. Ares knows that she can and will stop him if she really wants to, so he takes the initiative. Not willing to pass up on a suddenly so sympathetic Xena.

There are no knocks on the door to interrupt them, no confused Gabrielle stumbling in. And it wouldn’t matter anyway, for, soon after Xena finds her back pressed against the harsh fabric of the bed, the room fades out of focus. When the world rights itself slightly, the sheets pressed against her back are silky and the inn far away.

~(*)~

Gabrielle was, in fact, storming another room. Suspiciously near, but decidedly not Xena's. During the night, during all the confusion of Xena's strange antics and Joxer's suddenly less goofy self, she has come to an important realization. She knocks.

A muffled voice from inside calls, "Who is it?" suspicious and awake and nothing like she'd expect.

"Joxer, it's Gabrielle." The bard stands in front of the door, impatient, "Open up," waiting to confess her new and dearest secret.

After a moment the door swings open. Instead of Joxer's adoring gaze, which Gabrielle has long since become accustomed to, Joxer has already turned away, going back to his hasty packing. "What is it, Gabrielle?"

Closing the door behind her, Gabrielle comes further in the room, examining a few of Joxer's unpacked possessions before he snatches them away, and noting that he has finally given up his ridiculous armor. She falters, intrigued. "Get tired of clanking around?"

Not in the mood for questions from one who will so obviously tell him nothing, Joxer shrugs. "Time for a change." It is time for lots of changes for Joxer, but then, Gabrielle has never paid him enough attention to notice.

And now she's getting irritated. Here she is, ready to confess her undying love, and Joxer has barely glanced at her. If she's not the center of his world anymore, maybe she isn't as sure of her own feelings. "Joxer, why don’t you leave that stuff alone and talk with me."

"Xena's waiting, I'm sure." Joxer escapes her reaching grasp and continues to pack, glancing at the room but not the bard as he does so.

Stomping her foot once to get his attention, Gabrielle glares. Anger is rapidly overwhelming her feelings of love. It was one thing for Xena to stop paying her any attention - another to suffer the same fate in Joxer's eyes. "Damn it, Joxer. I have something important to say."

Joxer does look up, at the blonde bard who is suddenly so interested in him. It is too late, his eyes harden. "Sorry, Gabrielle. I don't have time. Try talking with Hercules about it."

"What's the matter with you?" Gabrielle is stunned at his harsh words, at this more confident and harder version of Joxer.

"What's wrong with me?!" Joxer spins around, angry and unwilling to hide his feelings. Always hiding, always good ole' Joxer. "What's wrong with me is you, **Gabrielle**. Plotting behind my back, plotting against Xena. I don't even know you anymore."

Noting the use of her real name, where normally the goofier version of her friend would attempt a nickname, Gabrielle frowns, coming closer to put her arms on Joxer's. "Joxer, it's not like that. You know how Xena's been acting... We were just," she pauses, trying to think of a legitimate reason, "trying to protect you."

She is pushed off roughly, too roughly, flying back into the nearby wall with a thud. "I don't need your PROTECTION!" His gaze softens slightly as he notes Gabrielle's wide eyes and slumped form.

But the revision to his normal self comes too late. Furious, Gabrielle pushes herself off the wall and storms out. Hurt and flustered, "You're right, we don't know each other anymore."

And she's gone before Joxer can wonder at himself, wonder at her, wonder at who he's becoming.

~(*)~

Storming out to the bar, the first thing Gabrielle does is order a stiff mug of ale. It's hardly the worst thing she could drink but, for her, it's enough. For all the abuse she's given Joxer over the years, he has never laid his hands on her before. And, while it's hardly fair, Gabrielle feels violated at the intrusion.

"Now what's a pretty thing like you looking so upset for?"

Expecting to see one of a thousand typical, scrubby men with no real redeeming qualities, Gabrielle spews out her retort before she can fully process what her eyes are seeing. "I'm upset at being interrupted from my drink by idiots like you."

The man in front of her, certainly not the typical bar clientele, is tall with short blonde hair and simple but well-made clothing. He is unfazed by her harsh rejection. "Ah, but had you not already been looking so perfectly miserable, I would not have come to offer my services in cheering you up."

Gabrielle watches, stunned for the second time in only a few moments, as he pulls out a small lyre from his satchel. She blinks and gestures him to sit down, intrigued by such a handsome musician. "You play the lyre?"

A curt nod is her reply, followed distinctly by, "I'm Jothe. A bit of a wandering musician, you could say."

Letting her first real smile appear, Gabrielle sticks her hand across the table. "I'm Gabrielle. Take it from a bard, you could work on your introduction."

Brilliant grin lighting up Jothe's face, he shrugs, "I've always been better with music than words. Would you like me to play you something? You can tell me about whatever was troubling you so."

Finishing her ale with one final chug and throwing a dinar or two down on the table, Gabrielle stands only a little unsteadily and nods, "Not here. It's too crowded and noisy. Let's go outside, somewhere peaceful."

It is hardly an offer to refuse, and Jothe is not stupid. He takes the lovely little bard by her hand and they wander out of the bar/inn, heading toward some unpopulated part of the town to talk and listen together.

After the morning Gabrielle has had, all the stress with Joxer and Xena, she is more than willing to listen to a little music and pour out her stories to someone who actually cares about her. Even Hercules is too busy bemoaning Iolaus to be good company.

~(*)~

Angrily brushing out her hair, Xena catches the sun - raised well into the sky - and laments her earlier decisions. Certainly distracting herself was one thing, but with Ares? Letting him whisk her off somewhere for the early dawn hours may have been enjoyable, but it was not a good idea.

Xena knew this when she said yes, but now that she's been returned to the inn, with plenty of time to think, she's more than angry with herself for ignoring her better judgment. "Damn it, Xena. Pull yourself together. He's just using you."

Which, she reasons, is true. Ares wants the power of the Anbreasia Stone - he always has. Now that she has to find it, he's suddenly taking the opportunity to play nice, to get closer to her. He wants the stone and she doesn't blame him - the gods have many rumors about its powers.

No, she blames herself for succumbing to his soft words and strong arms. It's not like her to lose her head like this. Tossing her brush back into her bag, Xena prepares to exit her room and gather her friends - whether they are ready to leave or not.

And there he is, just when she's trying to forget him. Easily pulling her into his arms. "Xena…"

Pulling away sharply, Xena tries her best to ignore him. "Look, Ares," she sighs and grabs her pack off the bed, "this morning. It was a mistake. I just, don't have time for this right now."

"No," Ares is firm. Taking her pack and setting it back down so that he can force her to look up. "Xena, it wasn't a mistake. This isn't about the Anbreasia Stone. This is about us."

Shaking her head firmly and meeting his gaze, Xena keeps her voice cold. "The time for us has been over for a very long time."

"Damn it," she doesn't believe him and he doesn't know how to convince her. The very thing that makes her doubt him is the same thing that brought her to his arms. He does the only thing he can; he kisses her again, hoping that their bodies will convey what words never could.

They never were good at anything spoken but insults.

The door shuts with a bang, and the two part, startled, to see Hercules. The demigod grimaces slightly. "I wanted to let you know, Xena, that Joxer, Deanna and I are ready." He snorts derisively, "I can see that you're busy, though."

Pushing away from Ares with a remorseful look, Xena sighs, "Wait, Hercules. It's not-"

"You know," Hercules spins around to face her again, but his glare is fixed on his half-brother. "Everyone else has had their doubts, but I really didn't think you'd stoop so low as to let Ares influence you. Gods, Xena, my **brother** is only out for himself. You should know that as well as I do."

He opens the door and exits through it before he can catch Xena's hurt eyes. But the person who comes storming after him isn't Xena, trying to explain. It's an irate Ares, who has watched another one of Xena's friends bugger up his feeling for her, again. "What do you know about my motives, Hercules? I'm not the one who's been plotting behind Xena's back."

They're in the middle of the tavern when Ares speaks, Hercules turning abruptly to face him. It doesn't matter. Having an audience has never stopped them from duking it out before. "I won't let you influence her for your own personal gain," Hercules is determined, bitter. "I know all about Xena's precious stone and why you'd want it."

Glaring at Hercules, Ares allowed a slight smirk, "You will not get in my way, **little brother**. You can't stop me from taking what's mine! Stop meddling in matters you don't understand."

"I understand just fine, Ares."

The two siblings stared daggers at each other, fists clenched and ready to break out into blows. From behind Hercules, a voice called out carefully, "Hercules? Gabrielle's not in her room, I was going to go check-" Stopping mid-sentence, Deanna stared at the men in front of her and the gawking crowd.

Hercules glanced at the young woman; reluctant to say anything while Ares was around. When he turned back, however, the God of War had disappeared, less than interested in another of Hercules' lovers.

If Hercules was confused as to why his brother had left without a fight, he let it go. Turning to Deanna determinedly, "We better find her then, before Xena- we better find her."

~(*)~

Gabrielle wandered back to the tavern on her own accord, with her own plans, and with Jothe. The pair of blondes nearly ran into the demigod as he prepared to search Gabrielle out. "Gabrielle?"

Offering Hercules a wide smile, Gabrielle queried back, "Xena ready?"

Unsure about Gabrielle's new friend, who looked vaguely familiar, Hercules could only nod, "She's waiting with Joxer. We were just looking for you."

Glancing between Jothe and Hercules, Gabrielle shrugged. "Hercules, this is Jothe. He's a wandering musician, and he's coming with us."

Her voice is firm, broaching no arguments. Not that Hercules could question her if he wanted to - his own traveling companion is waiting with Joxer and an irritated but somber Xena. "Grab your things. Let's go."

Nodding easily, Gabrielle leads Jothe to her room to pack. They have talked for many hours about their lives, and he has played her beautiful music. After hearing about the stone, about how strangely Gabrielle had found her friends acting, Jothe had come up with a plan. They are going to get the stone first, to keep it somewhere safe. Xena can't be trusted to be levelheaded about it, and the powers it may contain make it a threat, should it be restored to any scheming gods. Like Ares. But, even had Hercules asked, Gabrielle is not planning on sharing this. It's her little secret, replacing that part of her that thought she loved Joxer and erasing that part of her that used to trust Xena.

Suddenly, everything's been changing. A few hours are enough to make up for years.

~(*)~

It is already evening by the time they reach the next town. Due to their late start and the relatively calm terrain they have traveled, Xena has said nothing. But she is angered that it is near dark and they will already have to stop again.

Of course, the Warrior Princess is angry at more than just the time they left. She doesn't like the additions to their little party, doesn't trust these supposed extras that Hercules and Gabrielle have picked up. She still doesn't know what to make of Joxer, who is looking and acting less like himself every day.

Most of all, however, she's angry with herself for letting Ares distract her. For letting Hercules echo her own fears. She hasn't forgotten however, his words. 'The others don't trust me anymore,' Xena sighs. It doesn't matter. Once she has her stone back, she can worry about assuaging their fears. For now, however, it is better for all of them if she's left alone to think. They are still heading east, as Xena is not convinced that the creatures she killed were the only of their kind.

This town, however, is not much more than charred ground and a few wooden structures. Whatever it used to be is long since destroyed. There is what looks to be the sign that announced the town's name, still standing, but the heavy wood is blackened. Over it is tacked a piece of parchment.

Glancing at her stunned friends, Xena dismounts Argo and rips the parchment from the sign. The violent motion cracks the wood in half. Taking no notice, Xena scans the note and then throws it to the ground angrily, "Son of a Banshee, I knew it!"

Gabrielle, curious, picks up the discarded parchment and reads it aloud. "'Xena, there is a cave just beyond this plain. Come alone if you want your stone.' Well, that's kind of blunt, isn't it? If we've been led here?"

Not paying any attention, Xena mutters, "I knew someone took it!" already looking for the cave. But dusk has settled and nothing is visible.

Hercules sighs at her frustrated expression, "Well, you can't go alone. It's obviously a trap. We'll camp here for the night and investigate in the morning."

Look determined, Xena shakes her head. "I can't risk it. If I don't go alone… I have to get my stone back."

A small voice pipes up, "What's the worry, Xena? Surely it will be safer with your friends along."

Spinning around, Xena glares at the demure brunette hanging on Hercules' arm, apparently with enough nerve to challenge her. "We'll," she looks pointedly at Hercules and Gabrielle, "discuss it in the morning."

It is as close of a concession as Xena is willing to make. Especially in the face of strangers amongst the group. She eyes them all distrustfully as she takes bags off of Argo's back, giving her horse a loving little pat, before tossing them to their respective owners. "Set up camp, I'm going to scout around."

Xena's gone before anyone can protest. Determined, Joxer starts clearing a space for them all to sleep that is slightly less charred than the rest of the town, setting out his bedroll and trying to decide where to build a campfire.

In the middle of helping Gabrielle unpack the necessary camp supplies, Jothe sighs loudly, "You all really think she's just going to take a look at this cave and come back?"

Hercules frowns, staring into the darkness without seeing the Warrior Princess. He shakes his head firmly. "Xena said we'll discuss it in the morning. We will."

"And you trust her! After everything with Ares and this stone and…" Gabrielle explodes into a rant that quickly tapers off, not sure exactly how much to reveal among present company.

Deanna and Jothe do not look shocked by this revelation. Joxer cuts in harshly, seeing the expressions of the two newcomers, "Oh, so you'll tell them all your little plans, but not me?"

The five campmates glare at each other for a moment, until Xena's return forces them to other tasks. The Warrior Princess glances at closed-off faces and sneaky glares and smirks, "What, you didn't think I was coming back?"

When her joke doesn't receive any laughter, Xena bites her lip, pulling out her own bedroll and digesting this fact. Not only don't they trust her motives, they think her a liar as well. And here she thought her friends would help her.

~(*)~

Despite the brightly lit morning air, the cave both looks and smells dank. Unnatural. No rays of light penetrate its interior, although the sun is at an appropriate angle to do so. It has a mineral, smoky smell.

None of this daunts Xena, who promptly ducks under the entrance and disappears into the darkness. Her friends and their traveling companions look at each other nervously, but they had been the ones to insist Xena not go alone - they aren't about to leave her now. For one, mistrust does not preclude loyalty, and for another point - they do not trust her with the stone anymore.

In quite a pack, they enter the darkness, moving directly forward and emerging rather quickly in a large, well-lit and open area of the mountain. Near them stands Xena, apparently quite frozen to the spot, and, across the clearing stands a self of odd little bottles, what looks to be a cauldron, and a scraggily but evil-looking old woman, holding a two inch amethyst dagger.

As the others enter the cave, the old sorcerer holds the stone over the cauldron, threatening, "I told you to come alone."

Xena looks positively murderous, her voice deadly calm, "Give it."

"Not so fast, Xena," a voice calls out. The occupants of the cave turn to Jothe, unbelieving as he morphs into the more familiar form of Apollo.

Just as they are standing stunned, several flashes of brightly colored light appear to the side of the room, between the sorceress and Xena.

Eyes wide, the assembled group takes in the various gods. Artemis, Discord and Callisto have more or less simultaneously appeared. Now that Apollo has revealed himself, he steps away from the group and a stunned Gabrielle. But he does not go towards his fellow gods. Artemis smirks, "A little too quick on the revelation, brother. But not quick enough."

Watching this development carefully, Xena glances disdainfully at the assembled gods. "Don't tell me you four have decided to be the saviors of Olympus."

But the gods are already moving away from one another. Callisto is the one who responds, "Xena, Xena. It's all about you - or, more precisely, your little stone."

Her voice is taunting. Before Xena can question her enemy on how and why she is here, Discord speaks up, her whining voice setting the rest of the occupants on edge. "Did you like my little gifts, Xena? Found your friends suddenly full of… strife and suspicion?"

Hercules narrows his eyes, having had more than enough unpleasant encounters with the goddess. "Discord, this was all you? I find that hard to believe."

"Of course not," Artemis shrugs indifferently. "She's just an unfortunate pawn that doesn't know enough to keep her hands off the prize." She turns then, past Hercules and to the woman at his side, "Deanna. You've done well."

Stunned, Hercules asks, "Deanna?"

But the young woman has already started moving away from him and towards Artemis, uncaring of anything else. Artemis allows a little smile, "Hercules, I do believe you've met Deanna - one of my most loyal maidens. She assured that my brothers did not lay their hands on the Anbreasia Stone before I did."

The word brothers is apt, for Ares has also appeared, nearer to Xena than his siblings, just in time to toss a well-aimed bolt at Discord, who was slinking towards the sorceress. "Oh that's it," Xena springs forward to attack the nearest god - Callisto.

Her path is unexpectedly blocked by a stern looking Joxer. Callisto brushes him aside, "That's all right, Joxer. I'll take care of Xena."

"So you're responsible for this new Joxer?" Xena spits out the question at Callisto, but her hurt eyes follow a retreating Joxer.

With the confusion of one fight launched, the others quickly join in. Joxer catches Deanna moving from Artemis towards the sorceress, who appears to be watching the happenings with some interest, and blocks her movements, pinning her to the wall. Hercules launches himself at Artemis, angered by her manipulation. Ares continues to advance slowly against Discord, "I told you to stay out of this," he growls.

For her part, Discord puts up a fair fight, while around them Gabrielle has marched up to Apollo and is berating him, betrayed and frustrated. "How could you pretend all that!? Just to get at my friends!?"

Apollo shrugs, smiling brightly against his blonde, sun god looks. "Dear Gabrielle, so naïve. It wasn't about you - a nice **time** , sure. But did you think it really meant more?"

While the various gods and mortals are fighting it out to get to the stone, hissing insults and accusations, the mysterious sorceress has managed to disappear. It is Hercules who finally notices, having been thrown in that direction by Artemis quite accidentally, when Ares and Discord bashed into her. "She's gone…" Louder, "THE STONE IS GONE!"

Frozen mid punch, kick, or throw, the rest of the cave falls silence. Her fist at Callisto's throat - where she has her pinned against a wall and has been demanding to know how she escaped, again - Xena glares. "I think I know who's missing from this little party."

She drops Callisto viciously, knowing that the psychotic blonde will not attack her in favor of the stone, and approaches Ares. There are a few snorts from the assembled group, irritated at the whispering between the two. Finally, Ares looks up and shouts, "AUNT HECATE!"

Nothing happens. The room looks around suspiciously. Ares glances at Xena and sighs, yelling again, "AUNT HECATE!"

Surprisingly, it is Hercules who joins the call first, followed by the twin gods. Soon all those with any blood relation to the goddess are echoing the cry, "AUNT HECATE!"

There is a flash of dark light, so dark that it is hard to even call it light. A hooded figure appears, bent much like the sorceress was. The gods stand silent as the hood is thrown off and the goddess straightens up, "Enough. I'm here." She offers a little grimace to Xena, "I told you to come alone."

"I want my stone," Xena's voice is hard as she regards the goddess, who appears to have been masquerading as the sorceress - an apt choice. "You obviously needed me here. If you want me to stay, you'll hand it over."

A glint of purple shines in Hecate's upheld fist drops down into the clear pool of the cauldron, leaving her free to disappear with a parting, "You have no idea, Xena."

The group makes a dive for it. Suddenly everyone is either trying to grab the stone or prevent another from grabbing it. Several hands end up reaching out at once to topple the cauldron. It spills out on the floor to reveal naught but a pool of a shimmery silver substance. Discord lets out a frustrated scream, "This is some sick joke," before disappearing. It's not worth the hassle of chasing a myth.

Unsure what to do, the fighting stops. Either Hecate never had the stone, or it is gone now. With a twin shrug, Artemis and Apollo disappear, taking Deanna with them. It was beneath them to become involved in such affairs to start with - they have no need to build further vendettas.

From more towards the center of the cave, Callisto smirks, "Well, Xena, I can't say that it's been all bad." She waits until the Warrior Princess and others turn towards her, "We'll be seeing you."

She extends a hand and Joxer pushes his way out of the crowd to take it, looking more determined and less of a fool than anyone would have ever taken him for. The two disappear in the customary blaze of fire.

Gabrielle and Hercules stand in shock, looking around the now nearly empty cave. Gabrielle goes up to the shelf of bottles, glancing at some of the odder labels, but nothing suggests whether this was an elaborate ruse or not. Xena stands off at one side, dejected, while Ares looks on curiously from the other. "Gotta love it when the family gets involved."

Hercules manages a snort of laughter, "Now you know what my life is like."

Not dignifying his half-brother with a response, Ares turns towards the cauldron, bending down to stare at the slippery substance that spilled out of it. It almost looks like a mirror, but cloudy and a liquid. He recognizes the material, dipping a finger into it cautiously. "She might have been spying on us with this."

Gabrielle turns forcibly away from the racks of potions, the spilled cauldron. She glances around her and sighs, fighting away tears at the missing presence of Joxer. Not waiting for questions, she slowly walks out of the cave, toward the burnt out village. Xena glances after her friend thoughtfully, but it is Hercules who follows first - knowing plenty about loss thanks to Iolaus' missing presence.

After the two figures have disappeared into the darkness, Xena turns to follow them. Her stride is stiff but purposeful. Ares' smooth voice cuts her off, "Well played, my dear."

Xena turns, "What are you talking about."

But a smirk is her only immediate answer. Ares moves up to her, one finger reaching out for her breastplate, trailing along the slightly warmed metal. "I should have known you'd get it back."

Lying through her teeth, Xena raises an eyebrow, stilling his hand with her own. Stills his words with a passionate kiss that distracts them both from questions about any amethyst dagger, and where it might be hiding.

~(*)~

The charred out campsite is oddly silent when Xena returns. Hercules and Gabrielle sit in contemplation of their various woes. Xena joins them, thinking about the events and chaos of the day. Finally, she speaks, voice cold and decisive. "There's no need to worry about the Anbreasia Stone anymore. It's gone."

Her friends glance up - obviously she knows that they were aware of its origins before this. It is Hercules who speaks up first, "Xena, I know that stone meant a lot to you… but it's better this way."

The friends lapse into silence again as Xena nods. An entire quest for this stone has only caused them each pain and the loss of another from their ranks.

Gabrielle looks up, her eyes red with shed and unshed tears, "I can't believe Joxer went off with Callisto. What… what's she done to him?"

Xena sighs, as Hercules looks away, distraught, "Callisto's changed him, Gabrielle. I don't know if our Joxer is left."

"I don't believe that…" Gabrielle wails, unable to come to terms with what she's been observing for the last weeks. "He didn't fall for her tricks before…"

Xena's face sets harder because even Gabrielle doesn't sound convinced by her own words. "Damn Callisto." She hisses out the name, "How dare she do this to Joxer! We'll try, Gabrielle, we'll try to rescue him. But if Joxer doesn't want to be saved, we may have to… we have to be prepared."

Glancing up, Gabrielle can't even nod at the horrible possibility of having to fight against Joxer. Good old Joxer who couldn't have harmed someone if he'd tried. "All he wanted was…" she sniffles, "to be our friend!"

The others nod. It is painful to think of such a kind man following in the footsteps of the crazed and evil blonde-turned-goddess. Hercules sighs, long and hard, "Joxer was… is… a good friend. But I'd rather not face him in battle - I need to save Iolaus - I'll let you two save Joxer."

Hercules rises from his seat, determined. The quest he said he would help with is over, and he must save his own best friend, rather than lose him to death. It's been long enough already. Xena nods, standing to clasp his arms and pull the large demigod into a hug, "Go get your friend. We'll do what we can."

Hercules accepts her hug and moves to hug Gabrielle, who sobs a little into his chest, but manages a small smile. "Good luck."

None of them mentions Deanna as yet another of Hercules' failed romances. It is unimportant, and enough women have taken in the hero for him to let it go. Grabbing his pack of things, Hercules offers one last wave and marches off in the direction they came, a lonely figure on a mission.

Once he has disappeared from view, a speck in the distance, Xena turns to her own best friend, regarding the bard with a sad expression. "Gabrielle, I'm sorry - about everything. I let myself get too obsessed over my stone." She moves closer to her friend and lays a tentative hand on her arm, "I forgot what's really important."

Looking up at the warrior, Gabrielle wipes at her eyes with her free hand and nods uneasily, "I was foolish, Xena. I trusted all the wrong things. I know you better than to be Ares' plaything."

For a second, both could swear that Xena stiffens, but then it passes. Xena sighs, "You don't have to worry about Ares. I'm not going to let him influence me," she offers a tense smile, "I have you to keep me from that."

"I guess he wasn't even the bad guy this time, for all my worrying," Gabrielle offers her friend a grin.

It's as close to an apology as she can get concerning the God of War. And Xena thinks that this is a good thing, as she pulls the bard into a tight hug, because someone needs to remind her not to believe him too easily - even when he's managed to be useful. Xena's not sure she can condone his version of 'any means necessary.'

The friends hug and laugh and Gabrielle cries over Joxer as they try to forget the mistrust that boiled between them. It's not the first time Xena has kept a secret, or that Gabrielle has resented her for it. But both have lost enough through this venture to remember that they do not want to lose each other.

After a long moment, Xena breaks away, scanning the barren landscape, "What do you say we see if there's any lakes around? We could catch some fish?"

"Xena, I don't catch the fish." Gabrielle shrugs, "I'll just stand there waiting for you to catch the fish so that I can cook them."

"That's what best friends are for."

~(*)~

Xena sits over the edge of the mountain cliff, well above the cave. She is bathed in moonlight, in her leathers but without her armor, thinking. They have decided to continue past the mountain, to see the towns beyond and find out what happened to this one. Even though Xena is fairly sure those flying monsters she killed had something to do with it.

There is a flash of blue against the moonlight, and a body sits next to her. "Hey."

Without glancing at Ares, Xena rests her head in his lap, hoping beyond hope that her moment of peace will not be destroyed. Talking was never their forte. "You know I can't give you the stone."

At least she's still to the point. Ares shrugs, "I know," resting one hand against her back.

"You know this can only be a one time thing," she is referring to the other morning, and they both know it.

Moving his hand in a light circle against her back, Ares glances out over the mountain and at the night view. It's pretty enough, he supposes, but not really his kind of scenery. Although, there is a scorched field to make him feel at home. "I'll never give up on you, Princess."

Xena offers a little half smile, turning her head to look at him, "I know."

Ares raises an eyebrow at her statement echoing his own. She turns back towards the view and, for several moments they just sit there. Silence is more their friend than words. After long enough has passed that the silence is comfortable, not impatient, Ares sighs, "I always meant it to be yours."

"So you didn't want it?" he can tell just from her voice that Xena doesn't buy it.

Unwilling to give in, Ares jokes, "Well, if you can't get it to do anything, what chance do I have?" They share a small laugh and he continues, "Besides, I was never interested in myths. I prefer the real thing."

Xena turns slightly, raising herself up, and Ares bends to catch her for a kiss, watching how the moonlight plays over her features and catches just a hint of purple tucked somewhere safe.


	5. Epilogue: The Myth of the Anbreasia Stone

Eons ago, when the great Mount Olympus first came into existence as a place for the gods, in its greatest hall there sat an amethyst stone - shaped as a dagger. It sat directly behind and above the throne for the King of the Gods, surrounded by the other thrones of the twelve greatest Olympians. Since the hall had been built in Chronus' time, none of the gods knew of its origins or uses, but it was rumored to be extremely powerful.

Much debate ran through the Olympian chamber, of what to do with the stone. Zeus wanted it left alone, knowing full well how terribly powerful Chronus' creations were liable to be. Zeus was through playing with the designs of his cruel father.

The other gods were not so easily convinced, but the original siblings eventually agreed to leave their father's work alone. If they started with this stone, soon another would be rumored, and then all of Olympus would be torn to shreds looking for power. Besides, nobody knew what exactly it was supposed to do.

But as the younger gods were born, raised, and took their place among the twelve of the council, the debates sprung up again. They were not so afraid of Chronus as the previous generation had been - after all Zeus, his own son, had killed him. That did not lend much credence to their fear of him.

These gods were young and wanted the potential power the stone could contain - either for themselves or for their pantheon. Finally, Zeus had had enough. One day the stone was simply gone, "Somewhere safe," he said.

He wanted the stone forgotten. And, for a time, it was. Rumors still circulated about the 'Anbreasia Stone,' but nobody knew where it was or how to get at it, and so the rumors died as quickly as they had appeared. The gods had mortals to play with, duties to attend to, plots to make, and vengeances to exact. One little amethyst was easily forgotten.

Until it was discovered missing. Zeus was outraged, threatening harsh punishments on whoever was found to have taken it. But who could have? None of the gods knew where it had been hidden, some had never even seen it. The mystery was left unsolved.

It was not until centuries and centuries later that the stone reappeared. This time, in the hands of a mortal - Xena.

The Anbreasia Stone had been taken by the one person who was good at finding out Zeus' secrets, and the only one vengeful enough to take it without using it - Hera. The queen of the gods had not trusted her husband with the stone, having seen first hand how he was willing to use any weapon he had when angered enough. But she'd also known that she could not keep it.

And so she'd passed it on, as a gift attached with a threat. Ares, who was perhaps ambitious enough to desire the stone, was not usually stupid enough to disobey his mother. He had already been rumored to have it, so it was wise not to keep it. Or so Hera had demanded of him.

Ares gave the stone up easily enough - he had found a way to keep it without actually having it. The God of War had realized that he could not be near the stone without using it, and to use it would surely result in a dangerous response from his fellow gods.

Xena, his prized warrior and the first woman to inspire his loyalty rather than her own, was the perfect loophole. Ares gave her the stone as a gift to prove their bond, one that he had deemed unbreakable. Whatever she chose to do with it, she was with him, and so the stone was still within his sphere of influence. It was quite the plan.

Until Xena left her warlord days, and him, far behind her. The stone, however, she could not leave behind.

Since it was a testament to her bond with the God of War, Xena had made several attempts to discard it upon severing her ties with him. It didn’t matter what she said, how hard she tried - she could never bring herself to get rid of the small, dagger shaped amethyst.

Though Ares had told her as much of the story as he knew, Xena had not focused any energy on unlocking the stone's secrets. Its power was ancient and sounded dangerous - Xena was more concerned with her empire than angering the rest of the gods. Once she turned to the side of good, discovering its power only seemed like a route back to her evil self.

It was a symbol of her bond to Ares and, as such, had only ever displayed one power. Once she'd received the stone, carried on her always, she could sense the God of War's presence before he appeared. They were, connected, and the stone recognized that.

Her own inability to get rid of it, along with the stone's ability to allow her to sense Ares' presence, had convinced Xena to keep it safe - and to leave it alone.

And so the Anbreasia Stone resided next to the breast dagger of the Warrior Princess, safe from greedy gods and prying mortals, still shrouded in mystery and myth.


End file.
